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Cigarette smoking has been implicated as the primary cause of premature death and disability in the United States (Cinelli, 1988). The synergistic effect of smoking along with exposure to work environment substances places certain workers who smoke, i.e., asbestos workers, coal miners, and cotton workers, at a much higher risk for lung disease than non-smokers (Cooper, 1978; Hallett, 1986). In addition, nonsmokers have become much more vocal about their rights, and are demanding a smoke free environment. Businesses, therefore, have economic, legal, and humanistic reasons for wanting workers to quit smoking.
One of the simplest and perhaps least expensive strategies an employer can use to reduce the prevalence of smoking is to prohibit onsite smoking (Hallett, 1986). However, no clear evidence documents that this strategy results in an overall decrease in smoking (Borland, 1990). Some investigations have found that reductions in smoking prevalence following worksite bans may be no greater than the spontaneous rate of smoking cessation, while other studies have found evidence of reductions. In addition, smoking outside the workplace may increase to compensate for smoking which is prohibited at work (Gottlieb, 1990).
Despite the fact that workplace smoking bans may or may not decrease the incidence of smoking, restrictions are advantageous for many reasons. Most companies have implemented smoking policies to protect the health of non-smoking workers. Other benefits of smoking bans in the workplace are: employee safety, protection of equipment, and increased productivity (Gottlieb, 1990).
Rather than rely solely on smoking bans, an effective approach is for employers to assist smokers to quit or decrease cigarette smoking by providing worksite smoking cessation programs. The workplace has many advantages as a setting for health promotion activities in general and smoking cessation programs in particular. The workplace provides access to over half of the adult population, and can utilize social support as a mechanism to assist workers to change health behaviors (Hallett, 1986). Logically, occupational health nurses, who provide a majority of all occupational health services (Solomon, 1988), should be involved in planning and carrying out smoking cessation programs in work settings. This article reviews research related to worksite smoking cessation programs, applies the knowledge gleaned to nursing practice, and provides direction for future nursing research related to worksite smoking cessation.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Seventeen...